


ASMR You Kidding Me?

by RebeccaDopplemeyer



Category: Parks and Recreation
Genre: ASMR, Disaster Bi April Ludgate, Erotic Massage, F/F, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Ludkins, Obvious Lesbian Ann Perkins, Social Media AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2020-07-11
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:28:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,485
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21928990
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RebeccaDopplemeyer/pseuds/RebeccaDopplemeyer
Summary: When April Ludgate needs a massage model for her ASMR channel, Ann Perkins is the obvious choice. But when the massages start getting a little sexy, Ann realizes she might not be as straight as she thought.
Relationships: April Ludgate/Ann Perkins
Comments: 20
Kudos: 100





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I’m taking a break from a larger Ludkins story I'm working on to do this side project. Wait, what’s that? The premise of this story doesn’t make any sense at all? Well... ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

Ann Perkins never dreams.

When she's asleep, that is. Of course, she didn’t daydream, either. Her life was too hectic for that – shifts at the hospital, days at city hall, hours at Leslie’s executing some twenty-part binder-organized public service extravaganza.

And lately, the dates. Ann’s relationship with Andy had been a morass of confusion and dissatisfaction. The problem, she reckoned, was that she had settled. If only she had been more selective, saw what her options were.

Hence the speed dating. A different guy each night – sometimes two per day. Leslie had given her kind of a hard time about that: _I know you’re having fun and all, Ann, but have you ever thought about something more long term?_

Only Ann _hadn’t_ been having fun, and she _had_ been looking for something long term. Leslie didn’t know that there was a reason why she never saw any of them more than once. She had been on probably forty dates in the last couple of months, with guys of all different shapes and sizes and personalities, and yet not a single one had felt right. The frustration mounted, and she wondered how many guys she’d have to meet before she found the right one.

And despite the exhausting marathon of dates and work and public fora where people seemed to come just to have someone to yell at, she just couldn’t sleep. The mounting stress of the day was poisoning her nights. Ann dreaded getting into bed each night, knowing she would toss and turn sleepless for hours, her mind abuzz with half-thoughts about the day, ricocheting endlessly in her mind.

At least being a nurse at a hospital had some perks; a doctor she worked with gave her a prescription for some of the most powerful sleeping pills on the market. And each night the drugs would take effect; the dim light of her computer screen became a glare against her weary eyes, and she would close her laptop, lay her head on the pillow, and sink quickly into utter, thoughtless blackness. She would wake up groggy and grouchy each morning, the drugs still in her system, annoyed that no time seemed to have passed in the blink between falling asleep and waking up.

Ann Perkins never dreams.

* * *

That’s one reason why Ann needed April to explain the whole thing to her three times. “So,” Ann said, picking at her salad in the courtyard, “you put videos on youtube where you whisper into a microphone and… people watch this?”

“Hey I don’t make fun of your lame hobbies, like banging every doctor in the Midwest.”

“Ha, ha. But what does this have to do with me?”

“My viewers requested a massage video, and I need a model,” April shrugged.

“Why me? Why not Jerry or somebody?” Ann’s schedule was packed as it was, and she hated the thought of adding one more thing to the load.

“Ew gross,” April recoiled. “It’s _YouTube_ , Ann,” she said, as if that was self-explanatory.

Ann wasn’t getting it, and April huffed. “It’s a visual medium. It’s gotta be somebody people _want_ to look at. And you’re, you know…”

“What?”

“Don’t make me say it,” April mumbled, avoiding her gaze.

“Say what?” Ann asked, genuinely puzzled.

“You’re hot, okay, and I’ll probably get like a million views from people wanting to look at your dumb perfect face.”

Ann turned crimson. “Why doesn’t Shauna just model for you?”

April chewed on her lip. “We broke up.”

“Oh, April. I’m sorry,” Ann said. She and April had never been close, but April was hurting and had just asked her for a favor. And even if it was a pretty weird favor, it felt cruel to deny her.

“When should I come over?”

* * *

April’s bedroom was shockingly neat – a made bed with an inviting, cream-colored blanket, and a chaise lounge upholstered in lush red velvet, looking like it was a 1960s piece April had rescued from a garage sale. There were thick white candles scattered all around the room, on the windowsill and the low bookshelf and the side tables of the bed; April lit all of them until the room was suffused with a warm, soft glow.

Then she brought out the tripod for a huge metal microphone and a camera.

“Umm, I have to ask. And I really won’t judge. But is ASMR, like…”

“Yeah?” April extended the tripod.

“… a sex thing?” April knew that Ann was straight, but she just needed to make sure they were on the same page.

“No. No no no, I promise,” April reassured her. “It’s just about relaxation. You’ll see. Sit here.”

Ann sat down on the chaise lounge and April adjusted the camera to make sure she was in frame. “I’ll be whispering a little bit, but it’s to the viewer, not to you. All you have to do is close your eyes and sit there. Maybe let’s go for forty five minutes?”

“Okay,” Ann nodded. She shed her sweater, wearing a tank top underneath.

“Do you think you could pull the straps down to your sides? It’ll be easier to do the massage without the straps in the way.”

“Sure,” Ann said, pulling the straps of the tank top, and her bra underneath, down to hang by her sides, her shoulders bare.

April turned on the camera, stepped behind the lounge, and they began.

* * *

With her eyes closed, Ann’s other senses picked up. Even without April touching her, she could feel her presence behind her.

_Hi… it’s me, April…_

Ann had never heard April whisper like that before. In the quiet room, April’s voice sounded arrestingly close.

April was taking these long pauses between her words.

_A few viewers… have requested… a massage video._

Ann felt April’s hands come to rest on her head, and slowly, deliberately, began stroking her hair.

It was a simple act – Ann’s hair running through April’s fingers – and yet Ann was taken aback by the intimacy of it. April’s exterior, usually so tough and prickly, had given no indication of the careful attention she was giving Ann.

_I’m going to begin… with some light… hair brushing._

Soon Ann felt the soft bristles of a brush running through her hair, from the top of her head, down to her shoulders. There were no painful tangles, only the soft whooshing of the brush against her scalp and then past her ear. April started on her left side, and with each stroke moved slowly, almost indiscernibly, across the crown of her head.

In the darkness, Ann’s thoughts about April faded, and she became entirely present to her senses. She smelled the faint vanilla and smoke of the candles surrounding her, felt the gentle tugging of the bristles, and heard the quiet, long strokes of the hairbrush.

Ann wondered if April had changed the hairbrush, because at the very top of her head, she began to feel warm, pleasant pinpricks. But it couldn’t have been a hairbrush, because the pinpricks slowly moved down, to the base of her head. They continued down her neck, before spreading out across her shoulders. Ann exhaled as she sank into fuzzy relaxation, the mellow warmth cascading down her head and then her shoulders, wave after wave after wave.

Now the brush was gone and April was moving down to her neck; at some point April must have put Ann’s hair up, she thought vaguely. April wasn’t massaging her yet – it was simply light touch, pressing her palms against Ann’s neck, then her shoulders, then her collar bones, and beginning the circuit back again.

April’s hands pressed against the back of her neck.

_Ann has…_

And her shoulders.

_…beautiful…_

And her collar bones.

_…healthy skin._

Ann wondered if it was possible for her to fall asleep while sitting up, and only now was the massage itself going to start.

April began kneading her neck, strong fingers and thumbs stretching her tired muscles.

It was like Ann had descended into a warm, perfumed bath, and was being carried, gently, through winding currents, further and further away.

“Hey. Ann Perkins.”

Ann opened her eyes blearily, wondering why the massage had stopped. April was sitting beside her on the chaise lounge, her face surprisingly close. “Are you okay?” April asked, her brows furrowed in concern.

“Yeah,” Ann said, though it came out mumbled, the muscles in her mouth responding only sluggishly. “What happened to the massage?”

“Umm, you had it. I massaged you for like an hour. The video is over,” she said, gesturing to the camera, which was turned off. “Are you sure you’re okay?” April’s voice registering genuine concern.

“I think so,” Ann said, though she wondered if she had blacked out or something. Strange. “I’m gonna go home,” she said, and wandered out of April’s room, out the door of her apartment, and to her car. Ann wasn’t sure if she or April had even said goodbye.

On the way home, it didn’t even occur to Ann to turn on the radio, as she always did. On the empty night streets, she heard only the whoosh of the car, the muffled sound of acceleration and deceleration. And then she was in her driveway, and walked through the front door, straight to her bedroom, straight to her bed.

Ann realized that the straps of her tank top and her bra were still hanging down by her shoulders, and stripped them and everything off except her panties, and slipped into bed. Her head sunk into her pillow, and she was encompassed in blackness, the sleeping pills in her medicine cabinet completely untouched.

* * *

April’s massage was now reaching past her shoulders, down to the middle of her back, tracing up and down the long muscles on either side of her spine. Soon she was joined by April on the chaise lounge, the side of April’s thigh pressed up against hers, April’s right hand massaging her lower back while her left gently cupped Ann’s face, bringing her closer, until April kissed her cheek.

April lingered there, planting slow kisses again and again, and her left hand slipped down to her shoulder, down her arm, to her waist, and then onto Ann’s thigh. The feeling of the weight of April’s hand on her thigh was bringing a delirious heat. April’s right hand was still massaging her back lovingly, her lips kissing her cheek, and Ann was trying to turn her head, to bring her lips to April’s.

April’s long, strong fingers moved confidently from the top of her leg to her inner thigh, the pads of her fingers playing at the edge of Ann’s panties.

“Will you let me in?” April whispered.

Ann nodded slowly, spreading her legs—

* * *

Ann’s eyes flew open as she tried to catch her breath. She lay there in her bed, the morning sun streaming through the window, with only the vaguest memory of how she had gotten there. And she was shocked not only by what had happened in her dream, but that it had happened at all. Because Ann Perkins never dreams.

She tried to rub the sleep out of her eyes her face, but her hand was stuck. She yanked it out of the front of her panties, wondering aloud: “What the hell just happened?”


	2. Chapter 2

The next Monday at work, April stopped by Ann’s office carrying a sweater. “You, umm, left this on Friday,” she said, handing it over.

“Thanks,” Ann said, reddening with embarrassment – both for her absentmindedness in leaving the sweater, and for seeing April so soon after that dream.

“People really liked your video. It’s my most popular one so far, actually.”

“Oh.” Ann couldn’t believe that anyone on the internet could see something she couldn’t even remember.

April’s expression fell. “You hated it, didn’t you? Never mind—” she turned to leave.

“No no, I didn’t, I promise,” Ann said, gesturing for her to stay. “What were you going to ask?”

“Well, a commenter made another request.” April said, her eyes looking everywhere but at Ann’s. “For, umm, a girlfriend roleplay.”

Ann stood up, suddenly on her guard. “You said ASMR wasn’t a sex thing.”

“No no, it’s still a massage. I just, umm, talk to you as if you’re my girlfriend. People find it… comforting,” April shrugged. “Even if they don’t have a girlfriend when they’re watching it, they can pretend, and… for a little while, they feel like they do have a girlfriend.”

April trailed off, and in the silence Ann wondered what was going on with her. “April,” she said gently, “are you speaking from experience? Did you watch videos like that after Shauna left?”

“I don’t know, maybe one or two,” April said, her tone telling Ann she desperately didn’t want to talk about it. She finally looked Ann in the eye: “So, what do you think? And before you say anything — the whole thing is just pretend. One hundred percent.”

That was exactly what Ann needed to hear in order to quarantine that dream: “Okay,” Ann said, “as long as it’s just pretend.”

* * *

Ann looked at her tired eyes in the soft light of April’s bathroom mirror, cleaning off her makeup with the makeup wipes April had given her. After her hectic morning at the hospital and her busy afternoon at City Hall, the space was almost too quiet, her thoughts echoing in her mind. Ann always felt like she was never alone with her thoughts because of the constant blur of activity in her life.

Now she was starting to wonder if she created that constant activity so she wouldn’t have to be alone with her thoughts.

* * *

Hints of vanilla and smoke filled April’s room as she lit the candles that surrounded her. Ann sat on the chaise lounge and closed her eyes. After a few seconds of the noises of April fiddling with the equipment, she heard from behind her:

_Hi… it’s me, April…_

April’s whisper was quiet, and yet felt so close. April was starting with light touch massage this time, her warm hands resting on either side of Ann’s neck.

_A lot of people commented…_

April’s hands moved to her shoulders.

_…on the last video…_

Then, to her upper arms, bare with the straps of her top at her sides.

_…asking about the model._

April moved her hands back to the side of Ann’s neck, beginning the pattern again.

_Ann is… my girlfriend._

Ann could almost hear the smile in April’s voice.

_Ann is really good to me… So tonight… I’m going to take care of her._

April started brushing Ann’s hair slowly, carefully, the whoosh of the brush the only sound beside April’s whispers.

_Many of you asked how we met…_

Ann felt April brushing out her bangs.

_We work together…_

April’s free hand rested on Ann’s neck to steady her.

_… and I always thought Ann was really pretty…_

Ann felt April’s thumb brushing slowly up and down the base of her neck as she brushed her hair.

_…We were paired up on this project…_

April began brushing out the sides of her hair, all the way down to the ends, in long, slow strokes.

_…and it’s a long story, but…_

April must have put down the brush, because she was now running her fingertips through Ann’s hair.

_…our boss ended up marrying these two penguins…_

April tucked Ann’s hair behind her ear.

_…but it turned out they were both boys, and people got upset…_

Ann remembered that day; April had dressed in a silly bridesmaid’s dress for the ceremony.

_…but after, Ann looked at me and asked, “How do you feel about gay marriage?”…_

Ann frowned slightly, wondering where the story was going.

_…And I said I thought it was good…_

April ran her fingers through Ann’s hair on the other side.

_…And she said, “Well, maybe if our dates go well, you and I can give it a try.”…_

Ann knew she was turning red with how hot her face suddenly felt.

_…It was the cutest pick-up line…_

Ann felt April stroke her cheek softly.

_…and it worked…_

April continued on, dropping details about their imagined life so casually, so effortlessly, that Ann almost began to believe it was true. Ann wondered how April could come up with all of it, but as the session went on and her stress slowly dissipated, it all seemed less like roleplay, and more like a life that really existed.

April slowly gathered Ann’s hair in a loose ponytail and put it back, and then began gently tracing her face with her fingers.

Ann shivered at the soft, almost ghostlike touch, and she began to feel it again: the warm pinpricks at the top of her head, flowing down her neck and between her shoulder blades and then blossoming outward, sinking her entire body into the most pleasant, buzzing looseness. 

April pressed two fingers onto each of her temples, then brought them to the center of her forehead and down to the bridge of her nose, then down the sides to her cheeks, and up her jaw. Then, back to her temples; she repeated the pattern, like she did with all parts of the session.

_Ann is so good to everyone around her…_

April pressed on her temples, the last bits of stress floating away.

_…and she works so hard…_

And then up to her forehead.

_…she deserves to be taken care of completely, in all ways…_

She didn’t know what she did to deserve being taken care of like this.

_…When she gets home from a long day…_

And down the bridge of her nose.

_…and I sit her down on our bed, and I kiss her…_

Across her cheeks.

_…and I get down on the floor and take off her shoes…_

And down to her chin.

_…and I lay my head in her lap…_

Ann’s lower lip began to tremble.

_…and hear about her day…_

She couldn’t understand how April could care for her so lovingly.

As April returned to her temples, Ann felt her jaw slump open in relaxation. She wasn’t sure how long many cycles like this were happening, her consciousness drifting in and out.

At some point, April had joined Ann on the chaise lounge, April’s thigh pressed up against hers. Both of April’s hands were now massaging Ann’s neck, and then up, gently cupping each side of her face as her thumbs stroked her cheeks. Every part of Ann was slackened with relaxation, and it took great effort to open her eyes even a little. When she did, she found herself looking into April’s big, dark eyes. She had never seen April’s face while the sessions were happening – and she found that April’s expression was so observant, so attuned to the smallest details of the care she was giving Ann.

 _“Are you okay?”_ April asked even quieter, more intimately, than her normal whisper.

Ann nodded slowly, her forehead gently coming to rest against April’s, her eyes almost closing. And then, she moved the extra inch forward, and kissed her girlfriend on the lips.

She gently captured April’s supple lower lip between hers, and they kissed with a lazy slowness, savoring each kiss and dragging it out as long as possible.

Every kiss was both selfish and grateful. Selfish, as Ann luxuriated in feel of April’s lips against hers, and grateful, as Ann tried desperately to thank April for all the care she had given her – so much loving attention that she didn’t deserve. Yet no kiss was ever enough to express how deeply she appreciated April, and so she kissed her again, and again.

As April’s hand made its way up her leg she realized how different this felt from the dream – how much more vivid, how much more intense. And suddenly she was able to sort out the dream from the fantasy from the reality. And oh God, she was making out with April Ludgate.

She broke the kiss, and in her drowsy trance tried her best to cover for it.

“Were we in frame?” Ann said, slurring the words a little.

April’s eyes were a mirror of Ann’s, hooded with desire. “What?” she frowned.

“For the video, I thought we’d sell the roleplay a little bit more if we kissed…” Ann tried to rationalize it. “I didn’t want to do the whole video and have people not believe it.”

“Yeah,” April looked away so Ann couldn’t see her expression, “we were in frame.”

The adrenaline of the kiss was now wearing off, and Ann was utterly exhausted. She tried to stand up, but her legs and everything else was like jello, and they quickly buckled, a knee on the ground and her hand bracing her against the nearby bed.

“Hey, hey,” April said, coming to rescue her. “You’re so tired, you shouldn’t drive. Just get in bed.”

And with the last bit of strength Ann had, she slipped underneath the covers and into unconsciousness in their – no, in _April’s_ – bed.


	3. Chapter 3

When Ann awoke the next day to April’s hand on her shoulder, sunlight filling a strange room that she had never seen in the daytime, she practically ran out. Luckily this was one of Ann’s days at the hospital, and she wouldn’t have to see April at work.

She got there an hour before her shift began, and tried to collect herself in the quiet of the medical supply closet, surrounded by gloves and syringes and medication. She was the one who had kissed April; she couldn’t be mad at April for that. But April had been the one to do the ASMR, and no matter what April said, there was some sort of sexual charge to it. And if ASMR got her that hot and bothered, she’d probably kiss anyone who was there.

Looking at the box of turquoise rubber gloves, Ann realized what she needed: A quarantine. She wouldn’t do ASMR anymore, and then she wouldn’t find herself making out with April in spite of herself.

None of this fit in her life, none of it. She just needed to lock it away in that trunk in that corner of her mind where she would never have to deal with it again.

* * *

All that worked wonderfully the whole day; Ann was actually pretty good at compartmentalization. But her plan had one flaw, and she discovered it that very night.

She laid in bed, waiting for her sleeping pills to kick in and quiet the constant buzz of her mind. And yet – it never happened.

She tossed and turned, pleading for her psyche to drift asleep, to no avail, a prisoner. By the time her room began to brighten with the first hints of daylight, Ann was almost ready to cry.

Work was miserable on no sleep; she checked the clock every few minutes, wondering how she could possibly make it the insurmountable stretch of hours before she could leave and sleep.

With enough coffee and a Sweetum’s Bar, she made it to five and drove home, bleary-eyed and anxious.

She collapsed into bed, ready for sleep to take her.

It didn’t.

* * *

When April knocked on the open door to her office the next day, Ann had long ago lost track of when she had slept last. “Jesus, are you okay?” April said, sitting down in the chair in front of Ann’s desk with concern.

“Do I really look that bad?” Ann grimaced. “I haven’t been sleeping.”

April was surprised; at the end of the last massage, Ann had gone from awake to asleep in the blink of an eye. “Do you want to come over for a session?”

Ann knew she had sworn off any more ASMR, but in her sleep-deprived state it was like a distant memory of a former self.

April continued. “We had a request for a video… umm, it’s kind of weird though. And I like weird, but—”

“I don’t care,” Ann shook her head. If it got her back to sleep, it didn’t matter.

* * *

“Can I sleep here?” Ann asked bluntly, gesturing to the bed. She knew she was being rude by inviting herself to spend the night, but she was too tired to care.

“Yes, definitely,” April said quickly.

Ann pulled her bra straps down for the massage, and then decided, _Fuck it_. She wasn’t about to sleep in her bra again. She turned away from April, reached back and underneath her gray tank top and undid the clasp, reached back to the front and pulled her bra off and tossed it on the floor.

When she turned back April was lighting the candles, half facing away from her, but she could tell April’s face was beet red. Ann took her usual position on the lounge. “So in this video,” April started off casually as she set up the tripod and opened a small jar of coconut oil, “I’m going to address you as,” she gulped, “‘Goddess,'" and April rushed out the rest of the sentence: “and you tell me where to massage you and I do everything you say.”

“Fine, whatever,” Ann said, and closed her eyes in her impatience for the session to begin. Though as she heard April clicking on the camera and taking position behind her, it struck her how strange April’s behavior had been. The cutting, prickly April that she knew at work disappeared during their sessions, replaced with someone so attentive, so accommodating. Ann’s train of thought was disrupted by the start of the session.

_Hi… it’s me, April…_

This time April started with her hands on Ann’s shoulders, her pinkies resting against the thin straps of her tank top.

_…and tonight I’m with my girlfriend, Ann…_

April began rubbing Ann’s shoulders gently with her thumbs.

_…Ann works two different jobs…_

April’s thumbs were gliding around her shoulders so effortlessly, apparently aided by the coconut oil she had seen.

_…and although she would never say it…_

In small swooping motions, April moved up towards her neck.

_…I don’t think her co-workers appreciate her enough…_

April’s thumbs gently swirled over Ann’s exhausted muscles.

_…She’s amazing…. and she deserves to be treated like the Goddess she is…_

She could hear April’s voice shift to her left side, and she imagined April leaning over, her dark hair falling into frame, as she faced Ann.

_…Goddess? Where may I worship you?..._

The smell of vanilla and smoke from the candles and April’s warm, oiled hands hands were finally setting her ragged nerves at ease – clearing away the noise, letting her breathe. But it was her simple, surrendering question, which let Ann exhale, letting go of her tension.

“Worship my back,” Ann whispered, thinking of how much it hurt after a long day at work.

_Yes, Goddess._

Ann felt April pull the back of her tank top down an inch, and then a feeling of incredible softness against her spine, almost enough to make her shiver. It was from April’s lips against her skin.

April began massaging her back with firm, strong fingers, rolling over the tense muscles on either side of her spine, easing the tension from lack of sleep bit by bit, loosening a little with each stroke of her hands.

It felt amazing, but what Ann really wished was for April to do something about the kink in her neck. And then she realized, with a feeling of complete satisfaction, that April would do whatever she asked.

“Worship my neck,” Ann whispered.

_Yes, Goddess._

Ann felt April christen the side of her neck with a long, lingering kiss, and then pressed another kiss on the other side. April then started to massage the long muscles which connected Ann’s neck to her shoulders. It took April no time at all to locate the knot on her left side. She loosened it diligently, rubbing the muscles around it carefully. And as April massaged from the top of her neck, at the base of her skull, on down, the knot slowly released.

Ann sighed involuntarily: the darkness of her closed eyes; the smell of candles saturating the air with a thick, hazy warmth; the pleasure of her loosening muscles. The pinpricks were starting in her scalp again, and shimmering down into a deep wave of relaxation, like a strong cocktail hitting her all at once.

She could faintly smell April’s perfume as she attentively massaged her body, anointing it with oil. She had never had a person at her complete command like this. Was there anything her girlfriend would not do?

“Lower, to my collar bones,” Ann whispered.

_Yes, Goddess._

April then began to work out from the center of Ann’s chest outward in long, thick swipes, guided by her collar bones.

“Lower,” Ann whispered.

 _Yes, Goddess_.

Now her girlfriend was bringing the tips of her fingers together to rub vertically, a few inches lower. April worked methodically, massaging her outer chest and then inner, her fingers dipping down as low as they could go without touching the start of Ann’s cleavage.

Ann wondered if April would go any lower, and then she remembered – April would do whatever was asked of her.

“Lower,” Ann insisted.

She could feel April’s hands tremble slightly against her sternum, but she obediently said: 

_Yes, Goddess_.

April’s hands moved in a slow cycle: her fingers sliding in long, flat motions from her shoulders down past her collar bones, and to the top of her breasts, stopping at her tank top, and then back up. It was taking April thirty seconds to get from her shoulders to her cleavage and back, so languorous was her pace.

Ann’s head was heavy and her neck was weak; her head fell back a little, and she could almost sense April’s cheek parallel with hers. She wondered if April was looking down her top.

“Lower,” Ann implored breathily.

And with that April’s hands moved beyond the barrier of the tank top, skirting underneath it, the curve of her fingers starting to be filled out by the curve of Ann’s breasts, stopping before touching her nipples. Ann arched her back, the knowledge that her girlfriend would obey her making her want more, always more.

“Lower,” Ann demanded, and finally, as if giving in as well, both of April’s hands moved down her shirt to cup each of her breasts.

_Yes, Goddess!_

April’s hands had stopped the pretense of moving back up to her shoulders to continue the massage; she was gently squeezing Ann’s breasts, her thumbs swiping across the width of them only to find each nipple in a soft, loving pinch. She could hear a barely-suppressed “ _Mmph_ ” of pleasure from April.

Ann whimpered, her head entirely thrown back in the ecstasy of April’s touch. She could feel April’s breath directly above her.

“Worship my lips with yours,” Ann commanded.

_Yes, Goddess!_

And with Ann upside down, April’s lips closed hungrily on hers. As they kissed she realized how much she had missed this. April’s kisses kept time with each squeeze and exploration of her breasts, and with each wave the feeling of stimulation was so intense that Ann worried she would pass out.

“Worship my tongue,” Ann said, barely getting the words out between kisses.

This time April didn’t even answer her, and as soon as Ann’s mouth opened, April’s tongue slid against hers. It was all so overwhelming – April’s tongue and her smell and her hands on Ann’s breasts and she was moaning because holy fuck April knew what she was doing with her hands.

If Ann asked April to worship her clit, would she?

She couldn’t believe she had just had that thought. The trunk in that corner of her mind was wide open, and the quarantine was down. She had just come over to sleep – just sleep. With great effort, she broke the kiss and opened her eyes. April took her hands out from underneath Ann’s shirt. With the touch broken, it was a little easier to regain control.

“Tuck me into bed.” She commanded gently. April was shocked by the sudden change, and for half a moment was frozen, trying to figure out what had happened, but she was obedient to her goddess. “ _Yes, Goddess_ ,” she said, docile and attentive.

With great care helped Ann into the bed. She pulled the covers up over Ann one by one, the new heaviness of each seeming to add to the heaviness of her eyelids. By the time the final blanket was snugly over her, she was drifting off.

“I love tucking you into our bed, my Goddess,” April whispered, and the last thing Ann felt was the tender kiss goodnight on her forehead.


	4. Chapter 4

Ann rubbed her eyes; despite the fact that the blinds were closed, the sunlight that crept through the cracks was blistering. And despite her resistance, the dreams were apparently progressing. The memory of the last one lingered; she couldn’t believe that she had dreamt of April touching her—

Oh God. Ann realized the light from the window was coming from the wrong direction, and her eyes shot open. She was in April’s room. Last night had been no dream.

Fuck. There was a video of them on the internet and her dreams – her _reality_ – was viewable by anyone.

Just then the bedroom door cracked open to reveal April timidly peeking in.

“Hey,” Ann said nonchalantly but turning away in embarrassment.

“It’s 3:30 in the afternoon,” April said, coming to sit on the edge of the bed. “I was getting kind of worried.”

April’s concern felt uncomfortably akin to last night’s worship. “Well, speaking of worried,” Ann said, “would it be possible for you to, umm, take the last video down?” She finally met April’s eyes.

“I never posted it,” April said. “I, uh, don’t think it would meet YouTube’s community standards.”

Ann tried to cover up her relief with feigned regret. “Oh. I’m sorry. I guess I kind of ruined your video.”

“Well,” April said, taking an opening she had clearly been waiting for, “if you want to make it up to me, we could do a relationship video. Just us talking about how we met, what our relationship is like, that sort of thing.”

“I would love to make it up to you, I really would,” Ann said, trying hard not to reveal how much she was trying to get out of it. “But I wouldn’t know what to say. And I’m so bad at making things up on the spot. I’d probably end up contradicting the story you’ve said about us.”

“I was thinking about that,” April said, kneading her hands. “And I thought maybe to make it realistic we could, umm, role play. Like, not for a video, but just pretend to be girlfriends… for a few days.”

Ann cast around desperately for a way out, but in her sleep-induced grogginess, nothing occurred to her, and she found herself agreeing. She wondered what on earth the next few days was about to be like.

* * *

A couple of hours later, they were sitting on April’s bed, backs against the headboard, and Ann looked down in surprise at her hand entwined with April’s. But the object of her surprise was not the hand holding; it was how natural it all felt. About half an hour ago, April had slipped her hand into Ann’s, and now Ann was noticing how they had slipped into this new life just as effortlessly.

There on the bed April was showing Ann her YouTube channel on her laptop; with her free hand she pointed out her earliest videos (“the lighting was so bad, I’m kind of embarrassed, but I don’t want to take them down”). And it’s true – her early videos didn’t exactly have a lot of views. Ann gently teased her that maybe the low view count had something to do with their titles: “Wolverine Gnaws On Your Shins ASMR,” “Haunted Doll Tucks You In At Night ASMR.”

“So why did you start doing these?” Ann asked.

“I dunno,” April shrugged, her stare resolutely aimed at the laptop.

“Hey,” Ann chided her gently, and with her free hand tucked a stray lock of hair behind April’s ear. “I’m your girlfriend; you gotta tell me stuff. I mean, it kind of… doesn’t seem like you. To do videos where you take care of someone the way you take care of me.”

April swallowed. “I know I seem hard, but… I’m not. I stay that way with everyone else, but when it’s someone I feel safe with… I actually really like taking care of the person I’m with.”

“April…” Ann started, saying her name as she slowly reformed her idea of who April was. Ann kissed her on the cheek, and whispered in her ear: “You take such good care of me.”

April blushed hard. “Umm, why don’t I show you some more videos.” April clicked on the videos with Ann to show her how popular they were. Ann scrolled down to the comments with the most likes:

 **RosettaStoned** : this girl needs to drop her skin care routine ASAP

 **EverybodyLovesAGoodBloe** : Omg is this your girlfriend?? If so, please do a caretaking girlfriend roleplay! If she’s not… do it anyway???

“Hey, show me the comment requesting the massage video,” Ann said.

“What comment?” April asked.

“When I first did this, you said you were going to do a massage video because someone requested it.”

“Oh,” April said. “Umm, I don’t know. People delete their comments, it might not be there anymore.” April changed the subject: “Do you want to watch one of them? To relax?”

Ann scrolled up to see the video, swept away in the strange experience that was watching herself – watching something she only half remembered, eyes closed and peaceful as April brushed her hair. It was the first time hearing April’s whisper through a video, but the effect was the same as always: the warm cascading relaxation down her scalp and neck.

“You’re still tired,” April said softly, next to her, studying her face carefully and stroking her cheek. Ann closed her eyes with a barely audible “Mmm.”

“Let’s get ready for bed,” April whispered, kissing Ann on the cheek. Ann went to April’s bathroom to brush her teeth, and then as she approached their bed she shrugged off her jeans, sliding bare legs into cool and crisp sheets. She shivered and April joined her, April’s own legs pressed against hers. Ann didn’t jump at the contact; after all, girlfriends slept together – slept in the same bed, that is – all the time.

April turned off the bedside light and kissed Ann on the lips. “I really do like taking care of you,” she whispered, her beautiful eyes embodying so much feeling. “I... actually really need it," and Ann realized it was true only as she said it. She kissed her girlfriend goodnight once more, lingering there, before April turned to her side to become the little spoon. Ann pressed herself against her girlfriend, closed her eyes, and drifted off to sleep immediately.


	5. Chapter 5

The next day Ann stopped April outside of City Hall, pulling her back through their clasped hands. “Hey, are we… roleplaying… at work?”

“Roleplaying?” April looked genuinely confused. Maybe she, too, was starting to lose her grip on the distinction between fantasy and reality.

“Okay, we need some way of knowing whether we’re talking ‘in character’ or not.”

April seemed reluctant, and Ann understood. She felt pretty uncomfortable calling attention to the fact that the cuddling last night – and the kissing in April’s kitchen this morning – was roleplaying.

“If you aren’t sure whether something is roleplaying or not,” April suggested, “we can just say, ‘For real?’ And then we have to tell the complete truth.”

“Okay,” Ann said. “So, for real: Are we going to be roleplaying at work? How are we going to explain if people see us holding hands, or…” Ann didn’t voice her thoughts about whether their lunch break could be spent together, perhaps even—Ann stifled the thought.

“We’ll just say that we’re doing an experiment. That way people won’t jump to conclusions,” April said. The gruff way she said ‘jump to conclusions’ revealed a little bit of irritation at Ann not wanting people to think she was anything other than straight.

“Okay,” Ann said, and as they entered City Hall, she steeled herself for seeing any of their friends.

* * *

And as they walked down the hallway, they didn’t see any of their friends. No, what happened was much worse than that.

As she rounded the corner, holding hands with April, they came face to face with Shauna Malwae-Tweep.

“April,” Shauna said brusquely by way of hello. She looked them each up and down, her gaze focusing on their clasped hands. “I can’t say I’m surprised,” she said, her words withering.

Ann wasn’t sure what that meant, but she didn’t like Shauna’s tone, especially not when it was directed toward her girlfriend.

“Shauna, it’s not –” April began to talk about the experiment, but Ann cut her off.

“Any of your business,” Ann said, gripping April’s hand more firmly and stepping forward, putting herself between April and Shauna. “What do you want, Shauna?”

“I’m not here to see you,” Shauna responded, and then spoke to April as if Ann wasn’t there. “For what it’s worth? It feels like shit to be an understudy.” Shauna turned and walked away.

Ann led April the short distance to her office and closed the door. “Are you okay?” she asked, stroking April’s cheek lovingly.

“It’s fine,” April said, though she was clearly upset.

“Bitch,” Ann snarled.

“She’s not,” April said weakly. “From her perspective…”

“Dude,” Ann said, “what was that stuff about being an ‘understudy’? Were you in a play together or something?”

April turned away from her, wringing her hands nervously. “You know how Shauna kind of looks like you?”

“I mean, we’re both brunettes…” Ann didn’t really see it, but she wasn’t going to pursue the issue now. “And?”

“She thought I had a crush on you, and that I was using her as… as a substitute. Like whenever you would play the part, I wouldn't need her anymore. And now she just saw us together, and…” April threw up her hands.

“Oh,” Ann said. “I’m sorry. I should have let you explain.”

April shrugged, and reached out tentatively for Ann, slipping her hand into Ann’s. “I’m kind of glad you didn’t.”

Ann gave April a quick kiss on the cheek.

“Wait,” Ann said, “why did she think you had a crush on me?”

April turned crimson, backing away until she was against the wall. “It doesn’t matter.”

April leaned against the wall, and Ann closed the distance between them, straddling April. “If you tell me…” Ann said seductively, her hands finding April’s waist, “I’ll make it worth your while…”

April shook her head. “It’s too embarrassing.”

Ann wondered if April would be able to say if she didn’t have to look Ann in the eyes. So Ann leaned over and began to kiss April’s shoulder. “If you tell me I’ll keep going,” Ann said.

Ann could feel April trembling below her lips. “Shauna and I were talking…” April started reluctantly, and was spurred on by kisses up to the base of her neck, Ann's hands slowly raking up either side of her stomach. “And she asked if I ever thought of any one else when I… you know.”

“You mean when you’re…” Ann’s mouth went dry at the thought. “Touching yourself?”

“And I guess she meant if I thought about other people in general, but what I said was... you.”

Ann froze, lips against April's neck. Ann wanted – no, _needed_ – to know if this was part of the backstory April had come up with for their roleplay, or if it was actually true.

“For real?” Ann asked, barely able to hear her own words over the beating of her heart.

“For real—” April was barely able to get the words out before Ann’s mouth crashed against hers, unable to stop herself; April moaned and Ann deepened the kiss immediately; all she could think of was the image of April touching herself – how beautiful she must look, sprawled out on her bed, dark hair against her pillow, eyes shut as she gets close to the edge, eyebrows raising in pleasure as she comes.

Ann would break the kiss only to give a command. “From now on you only think about me when you come. Do you understand?”

April, intoxicated with Ann’s lust, responded with exactly the words Ann wanted to hear: “Yes, Goddess.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since you all waited so patiently for this chapter, I thought it was only fair that I turn up the heat.

Ann wasn’t sure how long she and April had been making out in her office when someone knocked on the closed door, and they jumped apart. April smoothed out her pants and hair; Ann opened the door to see a secretary from public works, and pretended that she was ending a meeting with April. “Just make sure they fill out the form and get it in by the deadline,” Ann said, and April nodded, keeping up the charade without hesitation before leaving.

Once the secretary left, Ann sat down behind her desk, her hands still shaky from the rush. This jittery, delicious high – God, was this what it was supposed to feel like when you made out with someone?

* * *

Ann was distracted for the rest of the day, trying desperately to work only to have her mind wander back to thoughts of April. She wondered if there was some way they could sneak off to the empty third floor; she wondered just how much she and April could do if they were undisturbed. She squeezed her thighs together, whimpered, and glanced at the clock, counting the hours until she could see her girlfriend.

* * *

When the working day was over, Ann held April’s hand all the way to the car; as soon as the doors were shut, they were on each other, making out like teenagers. Ann’s hand moving under April’s shirt, reaching around to unclasp her bra. “Darling,” Ann asked, out of breath in between kisses, “do you want to do another video tonight?”

April moaned as Ann started in on her neck while her hand went up her side, underneath her shirt, higher and higher. “Well… I did get a comment requesting a full body massage video…”

“Another one of those mysterious ‘comments’ that might have been deleted?” Ann insinuated teasingly. “Wait—” Ann broke the string of kisses to study April’s eyes. “A full body massage? You’d do that for me?”

“Of course,” April said, bringing Ann’s lips to hers.

“April, I…” Ann started before cutting herself off, suddenly unable to speak, almost on the verge of tears.

“What is it, baby?” April asked tenderly, stroking Ann’s hair.

“I’m sorry, I almost said…” Ann’s lip trembled. “Are we one of those couples that says ‘I love you’?”

Suddenly April wasn’t meeting her eyes. A wall seemed to be climbing between them, only to have April shrug it off. “I mean, we’ve been dating for a long time… and it’s going really well, right?”

“ _Really_ well,” Ann said, caressing April’s face.

“Then, yeah…” April said shakily, looking into Ann’s eyes. “I think we do…”

It took everything in Ann not to say it right then.

* * *

Ann’s chin was perched on her folded hands as she lay face down in bed while April set up the camera. Even in the quiet bedroom, with the lights off and candles lit, her heart was silently racing. Ann was covered only by a narrow towel across her bottom. Would April really be touching _all_ of her?

She felt a warm hand light gently onto her back. “Are you ready, baby?” April whispered.

Ann nodded, closed her eyes, and soon heard the click of the camera.

_Hi… it’s me, April…_

Ann heard April’s nails clicking on the glass container of the coconut oil she had seen previously.

_…And tonight… I’m going to give my girlfriend Ann…_

There was the slick sound of oiled palms rubbing together.

_…a full body massage…_

Finally April’s hands made contact with her bare back.

_…Ann deserves so much… to be taken care of…_

April began to rub the oil all over her back with firm, even pressure, warming up her muscles slowly.

_…from head…_

And then, with a fresh helping of oil, began to rub up one leg, starting from her heel.

_…to toe…_

April worked up her calf, the back of her thigh, all the way to the towel which just barely covered her. Ann wondered if April might accidentally slip her hand underneath the towel.

_…I’m so lucky…_

April did the same for the other leg, ending at her inner thigh.

_…to be able to take care of her…_

Now April began massaging her starting from the top down, beginning with her neck. Strong thumbs glided effortlessly over her muscles. Ann exhaled, all of her stress flowing away. The constant din in her mind faded as it always did when April touched her like this, cared for her like this.

As the massage went on, Ann drifted in and out of consciousness. At one moment April would be massaging her shoulders. Then, her lower back, dipping down just below the towel. And then her outer thighs, fingers moving in small circles, emanating pure pleasure.

Eventually April came to massage her inner thighs, and with it, Ann began to fight against the drowsiness, the ASMR seeming to make her almost ache with need.

“Higher,” Ann whispered.

April obediently moved her hand up her thigh, fingers curling in between the front of her thigh and the mattress.

“Higher,” Ann whimpered.

April’s hand hesitated, and then left her entirely. The sudden lack of contact was almost unbearable.

_Thank you for watching… good night…_

Ann knew that the click meant that the camera was off, and thank God, April’s hand had resumed its place.

“Higher,” Ann implored.

April obeyed, and soon Ann could feel the wet, oiled tips of April’s fingers pressing against her lips.

Ann, eyes closed, bit her bottom lip tight to stifle the sudden moan of pleasure escaping her.

“Baby…” April’s voice suddenly emerged by her ear. “I want to touch you. Can I touch you?”

April’s fingers hadn’t moved, and Ann was desperately willing them higher, into her.

“Touch me anywhere,” Ann said, her voice almost a whine.

“Baby…” April said, her voice trembling a little, her free hand gently caressing Ann’s face. “I want to fuck you so bad.”

“Please fuck me,” Ann said, but she was losing patience, and with her free hand she reached down, firmly grabbed April’s wrist, and slid two of the fingers lingering at her entrance into her pussy. “ _Oh_ ,” she moaned as April filled her up.

April began to slide her index and middle fingers in and out of her pussy, and with each movement Ann’s hips jumped almost imperceptibly off the bed. Never had this felt so good. Was it because of the oil on April’s fingers that they moved in and out of her so effortlessly? No; Ann knew it was only partly that. It was mostly because by this point Ann was insanely, unprecedentedly wet.

With each movement April went in farther, and suddenly Ann had to let go of April’s wrist to grip the sheets, knuckles white, as without the slightest warning she came.

The pleasure was so intense that it was a few moments before she could again understand what was happening, before she could get her bearings. April’s hand was no longer inside of her, but gently stroking and cupping her pussy, careful not to add to her overburdened senses by touching her clit. In fact, as she opened her eyes, she found April laying on the bed next to her, her face only a few inches away, watching her adoringly.

“Darling,” Ann managed to breathe out, and it was all the invitation April needed to kiss her. She felt suddenly guilty for how much she had been given by April. “What do you need? What do you want? Anything.”

“ _Anything?_ ” April asked, hesitating in hope. “What I’ve wanted… since the first day I met you…” She bit her lip. “I need to go down on you. _Please_ , Ann.”

Ann crushed April in a long kiss. April’s hand found her bare breasts, her tongue swirling against Ann’s. Ann didn’t deserve April, but she was too needy, too selfish to say no. “You’ve wanted that since the first day we met? For real?”

“For real,” April affirmed, and began to kiss down her body: her collar bones, her stomach, low down onto her hips, her thighs.

Then Ann issued her uncompromising command: “Worship my clit.”

“Yes Goddess,” April said reverently.

The feeling of April’s hot, wet tongue flat against her clit absolutely flooded her. Needy, half-formed sounds escaped her, as one moan cut off another with every press of April’s lips and swipe of her tongue.

As the pleasure intensified, Ann’s thighs gripped April’s head, bringing her in even closer.

Ann couldn’t comprehend any of it: this impossible pleasure for her was what _April_ wanted? And from their very first meeting? Ann remembered that day in her house; April had looked her up and down, and Ann always thought she was being judged. April had bristled at her back then. But what April had really thinking of was _this moment_ : Ann’s legs spread and April between them.

Ann had the thought that perhaps this was what April imagined when she touched herself, and that was all it took to drive her over the edge again – she was coming with April tasting all of her, drinking her up.

* * *

There was no way of telling how long it all lasted, only that afterwards, every muscle in her had been wrung out in the best possible way. April joined her under the covers, both of them naked; Ann put a hand possessively on April’s ass, and then brought April’s own hand to cup Ann’s breast.

They kissed slowly, sleepily, foreheads and cheeks grazing each other, and spent the twilight, until the night took them, trading soft I love you’s.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here our story comes to an end. But did you really think you were going to get an entire story from me without some angst?

The next morning, Ann nuzzled April’s neck, bringing their naked bodies even closer together under the covers. “Can’t we call in sick?” Ann whimpered, eyes closed against the fresh Spring light filtering into April’s bedroom. “Your girlfriend is asking so nicely,” she pouted.

April captured her lips, unable to resist a pout from Ann Perkins. They made out sleepily, lazily, bare thighs sliding up and down. “Mmph,” Ann moaned into the kiss, “how long does it normally last?”

“Hmm?” April said in between kisses down Ann’s neck.

“The turn-on from the ASMR last night,” Ann said, running her hands through April’s hair. “How long does it last?”

“I told you,” April said yawning, “ASMR isn't a sex thing.”

“I guess that’s true for most people, but not me,” Ann said, her hand dropping down to April’s thigh to illustrate the point. “How else could you explain how much I want you after each time?”

April sat up in bed, pushing herself away. “Umm, are you kidding me? Maybe you like girls, Ann.”

Ann winced as the feeling of April’s warm skin left her all at once. “But I only feel this way after ASMR," she said, throwing up her hands, helpless.

April’s jaw was clenched as she was silent for what felt like forever. Finally she spoke, quietly and deliberately: “All I know is that you spend your entire life rushing around, doing whatever crazy last minute project Leslie wants, going between two jobs, having a million dates or whatever. And the one time you actually sit _still_ and let yourself think, you kiss me. _You_ kissed _me_ , Ann. Just be honest with yourself.”

“‘Be honest with yourself?’ Really, from the person who lies about getting comments requesting a girlfriend roleplay? And then pretends to actually have a girlfriend?”

April brought her knees up, and rested her forehead on them. “I’m such an idiot.”

Ann exhaled, trying to be contrite. “You’re not an idiot. I was giving you these mixed signals, and—”

“What?" April said, staring at Ann aghast. “I’m not an idiot because I thought you were into girls. I’m an idiot because you still won’t _admit to yourself_ that you’re into girls. Yeah, I was pretending. But I can admit I was doing it. God, I should have realized why you were so good at pretending—at lying” she corrected herself, “Because you lie to yourself all the time.”

“April—”

“Get out of my bed,” April muttered, knees shielding her naked body, not making eye contact. “Get out of my house.”

Ann clutched her crumpled clothes to her chest and did as she was told.

* * *

Ann set the empty container of Cherry Garcia on her nightstand and curled up next to the half-spent box of tissues. She opened up her laptop and sullenly looked for April’s YouTube channel. April hadn’t posted the full body massage video. Ann wondered if she ever would; maybe April would delete all of their videos, and it would be like it never happened. And in that moment, all Ann wanted was to be back in April’s arms.

With eyes shut tight, Ann pulled the covers over her. Yet she knew that she would never be able to sleep with the questions circling in her mind, questions that would never go away. If only she hadn’t said that stupid thing, could she and April had pretended forever? If April hadn’t been her girlfriend, why did this feel like a breakup? And if their relationship was fake, then why was this pain so real?

* * *

April wasn’t returning her texts. Maybe she was ignoring them; maybe she had just blocked her. It killed Ann not to know.

The next day, at City Hall, April stopped by Parks, but found April’s desk empty. April hadn’t been in that day.

And the same was true the next day. And the day after that. Tom, Jerry, and Donna had no idea where April was. But of course, they wouldn’t.

Ann slid into Ron’s office before he could shut the door automatically. “I’m sorry, I know you hate talking to, uh, anyone—”

“You are correct,” Ron said, frowning sharply from behind his desk.

“But I can’t find April, and I thought you might know where she was…”

Ron looked at her with an unreadable expression. “If you can’t find her, she may not want to be found. You should respect that.”

Ann’s knees weakened, and she slumped down onto the bench behind her. “How could I have hurt her so badly? It’s _April_ , it’s not like she loved me or something. If anything it was the opposite – I thought she _hated_ me…”

Ron cocked an eyebrow. “You thought what April felt for you was the opposite of love?”

Ann shrugged, exasperated. “You saw how she was to me.”

Ron sighed. “Perkins, the opposite of love isn’t hatred – it’s indifference.”

Ann sat there in the silence, re-evaluating every snarky comment April had ever made towards her, turning that thought over and over. 

* * *

Eventually, she heard from Leslie that April would be back at work on Monday. And it was up to Ann to figure out what she was going to say when she finally saw her again. She needed to apologize, she knew that.

But more than that, she needed this sorrow that filled her to end. She kept thinking of something Leslie said about them once – that they were “tragically heterosexual.” But it was _this_ which was really tragic: Ann in her empty house, all alone, except for that closely-guarded trunk in the corner of her mind.

If she opened it, what would she find? Would there be the kind of thoughts she had when she had played April’s girlfriend?

Forget keeping the trunk locked, Ann resolved; she was going to take a fucking sledgehammer to it.

* * *

On Monday, Ann approached April’s desk quietly. April didn’t look up from the notebook she was methodically shredding to pieces. “Hey,” Ann said quietly, trying to keep out of earshot of Tom, Donna, and Jerry. “Can we talk?”

“About _what_?” April said, her voice unable to contain its edge. She still hadn’t looked at her.

“Umm, can we go somewhere?” Ann said, knowing that surely Jerry, Donna, and Tom were now watching what was happening.

“I want to stay here.” April finally looked up at her. “And you probably can’t say what you want to say to me when there’s people around, but that’s too bad.”

Ann swallowed. “Okay, that’s fair,” she said to herself. She managed to stand up a little taller, took a breath, and the voice she used was clear and loud: “I like girls.”

April just chewed on her lip, and Ann couldn’t tell whether she was somehow disappointed – like this was too little, too late.

“Damn, Ann,” Tom’s voice pierced the silence from behind her, “you’re bisexual?”

Ann stiffened under the comment, and continued to speak only to April, as if everyone else wasn’t there. “Actually… I think – no, I _am_ – a lesbian. You were right; was lying to myself. And I'm tired of it. And I'm so sorry for lying to you. April… I want to ask you out. For a second chance, and a first date. A real one this time.”

April’s eyes held hers, but were still achingly unreadable. Ann asked one last question: “Or is it too late?”

* * *

_One Year Later_

Leslie held the elevator for her, and as the doors closed, Ann exhaled. “So have you seen April?” Ann asked.

“Yeah. You haven’t seen her?” Leslie asked, confused, before stopping herself. “Well, yeah. I guess that makes sense.”

Leslie fidgeted amidst the quiet whirring of the elevator until the doors opened again.

They got off on the fourth floor, and Leslie made small talk as they walked together. “How’d you sleep?”

Ann’s shoes echoed in the uncharacteristically empty hallway, until they rounded the corner to find the office where the department was gathered: Tom, Donna, Andy, Jerry, Chris, Ron, and Ethel Beavers. Ron stepped aside to reveal April Ludgate, her dark hair cascading beautifully past her bare shoulders to frame her white dress.

Ann straightened her tie, and turned to Leslie, smiling. “You know, I actually sleep just fine these days.”

Ann joined April in front of Ethel Beavers, the two beaming at each other while the ceremony commenced. Ann was sure that Ethel said some kind things apart from the legal boilerplate, but she couldn’t be sure – she couldn’t stop staring at the woman she loved. Eventually Ann was roused from her reverie by the awareness that Ethel had asked her something.

“I do,” Ann said, not breaking loving eye contact with the woman she loves.

Ethel asked April the same question. “I do,” April said, smiling through tearful eyes.

And then, while Ethel was saying something conclusive and very official, before they leaned in to kiss each other, they whispered words only they could hear:

“For real?”

“For real.”


End file.
